5 Reasons Why I Encourage You to Unplug

We live in an ever encompassing age of technology and information. We are tied to the outside world and have a wealth of knowledge at our fingertips on any given second of the day. We are obsessed with social media and connecting to other people online, but whatever happened to connecting to people over coffee, lunch, playing sports, or having that personal connection face to face with each other?

Being tied to the outside world is a good thing, especially with the increasing number of entrepreneurs who need to be able to connect with their clients, but as a person, with a family and friends, we have to be able to put down our technology and just unplug it all or we will all end up acting like the people on the spaceship from Wall-E and no body wants that.

Here are 5 reasons why I encourage everyone to unplug for at least a few days or a week if possible.

Idol Worship

— Yea I took a chance of losing a few readers here and went there first because it’s really the most important reason. Technology can become an idol just like money, fame, family (yes family can as well), or the old biblical gold statues we hear so much about.

— I know we don’t do this intentionally, but all of us, at one point or another, have decided to check our phone or do something with technology that took precedence over living for God in some form or fashion.

— What’s the first thing you do in the morning? Well, if you’re like 80% of the people with smartphones, you check your phone before even getting out of bed and within the first 15 minutes of waking up!

— Unplugging for a few days or a week can help you get back on track with your spiritual walk in the mornings if you’ve fallen out of step.

I challenge YOU to begin your day in prayer and Bible study instead of picking up your phone to check what’s going on.

You’re losin’ “da social skills”

— I love it when people tell me they have thousands of “friends” on social media because I always follow up that statement with, I don’t even think I know thousands of people. This throws people off, because they know my statement is pretty accurate to real life – They don’t know thousands of people either.

— Adam Sandler, in the Waterboy, wasn’t allowed to play with electronics (they’re probably of the devil), but he was also told in the movie he didn’t have any friends because he didn’t have what they call da social skills. Great line in the move that made us all laugh, but think about our current society and the lack of social skills because everyone’s head is buried in their phones, tablets, or other electronics. This part of lacking da social skills is anything but funny.

— Unplugging and spending time with your friends without the distraction of technology or constant contact to the internet world will allow you to learn more about them and grow stronger bonds to people who are closest to you.

Losing Connection with Family

— I could post a number of YouTube videos which demonstrate this point. How can we be a family, if we never speak to each other? How can we be a family if we’re always talking to our “friends” on social media? How can we be a family when the most interaction you get together is MAYBE while in a car or when you go somewhere together? You get the idea.

— Unplug, look at each other while you’re sitting down for dinner. Talk to each other. Find out what’s going on in each others lives. Do NOT allow your family to become distant from each other just because of a silly thing like technology. It’s a great tool, but having a family that loves and cares for one another is far greater.

— Just like with your social skills, unplugging can allow you to grow closer to your family and create stronger bonds with each other. Not just with you, but you can be the example to your family that you want to grow closer to them as your priority, and that might encourage them to want to grow closer with each other as well.

Missed Opportunities

— You could have been the best parent in the world and took your kids to the park or a party, but you had your head down in your phone and you missed the awesome moments of your kids first time making it across the monkey bars or climbing to the top of the jungle gym. Or perhaps, you take your spouse out on a nice date but you both are constantly talking to your friends via text/messenger and you miss the great opportunity to connect with them individually without the kids around.

— We have these moments every day. If you’re single and have your head into your technology you could be missing Mr. or Ms. right. I encourage you to unplug so you’re more aware of what’s going on around you all of the time. I have 4 kids and one awesomely amazing wife, and I don’t wanna miss a thang. (Sorry couldn’t help myself, but if you don’t get the reference please don’t tell me, my kids and wife make me feel old enough as it is!)
–If you’re up early enough, go walk outside and look at the sun rise, or in the evening – the sunset. Don’t miss opportunities to see God’s beauty in His creations.

Enjoy LIFE

— Life isn’t a computer screen. It isn’t a video game or a TV show. Life is interaction with God, family and friends, and with creation. This might be the final and shortest point, but it is based on all of the others.

–Unplug, go enjoy the sunrise or sunset, enjoy a quite time in prayer and reflection of God’s Word, enjoy the company of your family, grow together with your friends where you know you have others you know you can trust who aren’t just some picture on a media site. Look up, look around, see what’s going on around you on earth, not just in the news or on TV.

–There’s SO MUCH to see that we’re missing every day. Missed connections, missed opportunities, missed experiences just because we have such a “need” to be connected all day every day.